Tough tackling 'Psycho' Stuart Pearce says football has become more dangerous

Stuart Pearce insists football was 'ludicrously physical' when he played at the highest level but accepts the game is much faster now and players have got wiser when it comes to tough tackles.

Debate over whether the Barclays Premier League has become too violent has again been raised following a number of dangerous challenges this season, the latest coming from Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong on Hatem Ben Arfa, which left the Newcastle winger with a double fracture and most likely out for the season.

De Jong - who was somewhat fortunate not to be shown a red card in the World Cup final for a chest-high challenge on Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso - has since been dropped from the Holland squad for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Moldova and Sweden following the Ben Arfa challenge.

Flashpoint: Newcastle's Hatem Ben Arfa is just one of a number of players on the receiving end of rash challenges of late

Former Nottingham Forest and England full-back Pearce earned the nickname 'Psycho' for his no-nonsense approach.

Now coach of England Under 21s, the 48-year-old believes the pace of the game has moved things on.

'It was ludicrously physical,' Pearce recalled. 'Now there are cameras everywhere, the pitches are that much firmer, you don't have mud on the pitches any more and one little nick (of the ball) away from somebody, you are a second late and it can be horrific.

'The movement of players is much cleverer, in the old days wingers would just stand out on the wing, now they come off the line and the game's much quicker.

'You have to be much cleaner with your tackling and that probably exposes the tackling as well.

'But let the referees deal with it. It is not for (the public) to act as judge and jury.'

Psycho: Pearce was an intimidating site on thepitch during the 80s and 90s

Without entirely exonerating De Jong, Professional Footballers Association chief executive Graham Taylor does feel Holland coach Bert van Marwijk's decision to leave him out of his latest national squad was probably influenced by the huge amount of negative publicity Holland attracted for their combative approach to the World Cup final with Spain.

'There was a lot of criticism for the way Holland approached the final,' said Taylor. 'Maybe it was a tactical approach and the only way they could come to terms with a very skilful Spanish side.

'There is nothing wrong with getting into people's faces, harassing them and intimidating them as long as it is within the rules.

'According to the referee on Sunday, the tackle that caused the broken leg was not a foul. Other people will have other opinions.

'Nigel is a very committed player. He goes in strongly in a physical contact sport.

Commenting on the red card shown to Wolves captain Karl Henry for a challenge on Wigan's Jordi Gomez before the international break, Pearce said: "I was at the Wigan game when the player did a somersault when he was tackled. I can never remember a player 20 years ago being sent through the air like that.

'When I listen to the phone-ins and they say 'there was a real honesty about so and so' and I think 'you try being on the end of one of their tackles and see how much honesty there is', I think there is a bit of rose-tinted nostalgia there.'